± 800

Long ago, this spindle whorl was often used as part of a loom. When it was too worn, it was often worn as a bead. Ours is made of dark clay and has a decorative design. The decoration is a zoomorphic design, which makes it more unique and rarer than common beads. This spindle whorl originally comes from the collection of Marcel Gilbrat, restorer of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. Between the 1960s and 1990s he collected various ancient, tribal, Asian, and European artefacts. He restored many antiquities that ended up in his collection or were sold. He died in 1993 from the consequences of a lifelong work with aromatic chemicals.

Zoomorphic objects are shaped like an animal. The large stones of the Maya with animal representations are an example of this. Such animal motifs can be found in many cultures. Much of Europe experienced a social and artistic decline during the same period. The ancient civilizations of America experienced a vibrant cultural period. This can be seen in the fascinating works of art. These cultures were incredibly skilled at ceramics. They had no formal writing systems. The pottery therefore became their history books. In this way they shared their vision and knowledge of the world. The indigenous peoples had a special affinity with animal symbolism. Animal traits gave individuals a spiritual transformation. They give an insight into the ancient cultures.